Interview: Ivan Malvido - 08/10/12

Explain to us how you have evolved as a rollerblader during these 16 years of skating.

Well, as you said, 16 years ago I started with my first pair of skates, they were Quads. Where I was born, Ourense, Spain, there weren’t any in-line skates by that time so as soon as I saw them I wanted to try them and there was no way back. I started to roll around improvising with all kind of obstacles, we didn’t know shit and didn’t have any information or videos to learn from, we didn’t even know the name of the tricks and didn’t know what was possible with them, so we experimented a lot. With the time I realized that this was what I truly loved and that I would put all my effort and dedication to it, I think that I had the skills and it was easy to learn for me so with the time I got better and started to travel, going to competitions and taking advantages of all the things rollerblading was giving me like meeting new people, new places and all that would built me as what i am nowadays. While all this time I’ve been in the game, I’ve seen good times and bad times so I’ve seen the whole evolution of the sport and that’s something I’m very proud of, like when you got a kid and you see him growing it’s so satisfying.



Could you tell me which were the places you have liked the most or had the biggest impact on you?

I’ve traveled quite a lot with rollerblading, I've been in LA, Texas, Germany… but the most amazing place I’ve ever been to was Laussane with no doubt, the mythical roller contest from 1998. It was a dream become true, there I was without being able to speak any word in English, with 18 years and with all the big people from that time like Brian Bell, Randy Spizer, Arlo, Rene Hulgren… it was amazing and for sure the best competition I’ve ever been to, rollerblading was so big at that time for Spain too…

What about the best spot you have ever skated?

It’s hard to remember, I’ve been at all kind of spots and I can’t even remember where I’ve skated but recently I went on tour and I skated such a sick spot. It was a kina of half pipe located under a bridge in the middle of a river. We had to get a boat to get there! If it isn’t the best spot I’ve skated, it’s the most unusual.



Which ones have been your biggest achievements in rollerblading?

My biggest success was in LA, in 2002, in the ASA amateur tour, I ended up second and some years alter in 2005 I won the four competitions I attended in Spain all in a row and the same year I won the team’s world championship in Essen in the final of the The Game, competing in the same team with Haffey and Shima, it was such a good experience. Nowadays is hard to stand out in competitions because people are so good, there’s too much spin to win tricks for me, in some competitions, specially the ones from Spain, nearly all is based on the best trick and that’s not my philosophy.

Pretty much always, you’ve had sponsors. How is it been that you’ve never had that much coverage or haven’t been on tours with your sponsors?

I think it’s been my fault, I’ve always been bad at English so this closed so many doors for me, not being able to talk in English, not being able to communicate with people from other places from Europe, I mean, in Spain it’s been different, I’ve been in a lot of videos and magazines and as you said, always had sponsors. In the other hand, I think other riders had more than me basically because the followed the trends, nowadays everybody is doing hurricanes everywhere and I haven’t done one in six years. As I said, that’s not my way of skating, I like tech shit but unusual stuff and also skating different spots than the ones most of the people likes to skate. I love the feeling I get after skating virgin spots before anybody. Furthermore, the fact I’m not living out from skating, stops me when I have to lace big shit, cause next day I have to go work. If I eat shit, I can’t go to work, if I don’t go o work I don’t earn money and if I don’t earn money they kick me out of the house. I have to pay my bills, as rollerblading doesn’t pay them for me so all in life are priorities. It’s more important for me to be healthy.



You are the Abec founder, the only Spanish magazine at this time, how did you start this project?

Well, I came out with the idea and convinced some friends to start it up. Abec wouldn’t be possible without those people: Enanoh, Vanesa Ramos, Marieta and Fernando Castellano. Abec was born one year ago now and we already are seeing the fruits it’s giving. In all the years I’ve been skating, it was my time to make my contribution to rollerblading world. I’ve always had this project in mind but never found the right time and people to work with, and now it couldn’t be better with the Abec crew. We are the only printed magazine in Spain and furthermore, it’s free for the people. We are not trying to make money out of it, just improve the situation of the sport in our country and teach the new generations what with our experience have known, because the future of the sport is in their hands. Since the first issue of the magazine, people respect us much more and we have consolidated our sport here. Thanks to Abec, we are the voice of the village; Abec is every single Spanish rollerblader.



So I know you like skating and photography, how do you deal with both things?

Photography is part of my life, I’ve always been interested in it and I’ve loved experimenting with new things that common people haven’t. Rollerblading and photography are my passions so there wouldn’t be a better combination. Shooting rollerblading is hard, but to make them good it’s even harder so getting good pics satisfies me so much, also love the fact that I can juice the rollerblading I’m shooting with and force them to go to their limits, that makes me grow as a person and love that feeling.

Do you have any plans for the future?

My basic plan is keep skating until my body won’t let me anymore, I’ve been doing that for half of my life and I see myself skating 20 years more, even if it’s just in a miniramp or in a skatepark. I’ve got big injuries but they have never stopped me, I’m still here and I’ll still do what I love the most. On the other hand, my most ambitious project is Abec roll fanzine, here is where all my illusion are, I wish one day we are so big that we can get to be in other places and can show the Spanish scene which has so many marvelous people and really good skaters (besides the all known amazing spots). Oh, and something I’ve always got in mind is to make a photography exhibition showing the feelings, the values, the truly physical and mental effort that rollerbladers have and the important inline is for us.



Who would you like to thank?

First of all, the Abec Family: Vanesa, Enanoh, Marieta and Fernando, especially my girlfriend Vanesa who has helped me out with all what I do. My friends from all time Goiko, Walter, Bruto, Moi, Gus, Ciruelo… All that crews that has also helped me out when I’ve visited them: Fapal, La Klave, SCR and people from south Spain. To all my sponsors: Inercia, USD and Fakir and also those who have read this interview for dedicating some of your time. Keep on doing what you like the most and be yourself, follow your own way and enjoy rollerblading. Thanks Be-mag too for all what have done and still do for our community. Thanks for giving me this chance.

Photos: Adam Kola
Interview: Marc "Enanoh" Moreno